


A New Normal

by UnknowableGeometry



Category: Astral Chain (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Not Beta Read, Player Character is named Aneko, Player character gets therapy, Porn With Plot, Post Game, Resolved Sexual Tension, Some minor spoilers, Undercover Missions, but lots of fluff too, i just want everyone to be happy, some serious stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 12:49:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20760629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknowableGeometry/pseuds/UnknowableGeometry
Summary: Aneko Howard just wanted one normal night to herself, but Neuron can't seem to let her go for more than a few minutes. Jin Wong needs help with a case, after all, and restoring peace to the Ark is hard work. This particular case just so happens to involve going undercover to one of the most expensive restaurants in Harmony Square to trail an emerging criminal operation. As with nearly all undercover missions, this is much easier said than done.





	A New Normal

**Author's Note:**

> Aneko: A Japanese female name meaning "older sister."

**A New Normal **

Aneko locked the door to her bathroom stall, cursing her luck. The muffled sounds of the live band outside still filtered in as she finally answered the incoming call from Neuron. Olive Espenosa’s voice immediately came through.

“Howard, what on the Ark are you _doing_?” Typical. She could hardly take a shit without someone wondering where she went, let alone go on a date for the first time in three years. 

“I’m out. Y’know, trying to at least keep some semblance of normal.” Despite her best efforts, she wasn’t completely able to hide the bitterness in her tone. The last few weeks had been difficult. Even though the threat of Noah was neutralized, there was still a seemingly endless amount of cleaning up to do. Each time Neuron tied up a loose end, countless more seemed to unravel. And to top it all, Aneko was plagued by nightmares and mostly sleepless nights. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw Jena’s abominations, or her brother dying before her eyes, or some other horror her imagination managed to conjure up in the darkness of her own room. She still hadn’t been to a therapist. God knows she needed one, but how would she find the time?

That’s why she had agreed to go on this date. Maybe, just maybe, she could convince herself that she was a normal young adult for once. Carlos was nice, after all. A bit strange, but earnest enough, and clearly interested in her company. After the case they had worked on together, he seemed set on paying her back for her help.

“I know, and I’m sorry,” Olive said, putting pause on Aneko’s internal musings. “But we have an emergency. We finally have a lead on those legion traffickers, and Jin needs your help.”

“Can’t Jin ask Alicia?” They all had legions now, after all. But in her heart, Aneko knew she wouldn’t be getting out of this one. Better go back out and ask Carlos for a rain check.

“No, she’s working on another case. And besides, you’re still the best we’ve got. Anyways, I sent Jin your coordinates. He should be there in two minutes.” With that, Olive ended the call.

_Two minutes? _Aneko threw open the stall door, and quickly checked her makeup and hair in the mirror before returning to the interior of Songbird Café. Carlos was seated at their small window table, right where she left him. He caught her expression instantly.

“Is something the matter?” Ever the polite one. He didn’t appear even the smallest bit frustrated at her extended disappearance to the bathroom. Time to push the limits of his patience even further.

“Carlos, I’m really sorry, but—“ Aneko was cut off mid-sentence by a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around to find Jin, who was quite the unusual sight in his civvies.

“Yeah, we’re sorry, but duty calls,” Jin finished, paying little heed to the dismayed man before him. He turned to leave, and then seemed to remember something. “I’ll, uh, cover the tab for you later.” And with that, he half-dragged Aneko out into the neon-lit streets of Harmony Square.

Once they stepped outside, Aneko wrenched her arm from Jin’s grasp. She caught his expression immediately, and knew what was coming before he even opened his mouth.

“Seriously, _him_?” Jin said, gesturing back at the café.

“Oh, just drop it,” Aneko shot back. “He’s nice, and I couldn’t stand the thought of another night filing reports in front of my TV alone.” To her surprise, Jin did drop the subject at her remark.

“Suit yourself. Did Olive tell you what’s going on?” He began walking towards the center of Harmony Square, and Aneko fell in step beside him.

“Not much other than that you finally have a lead on these guys you’ve been looking into.”

“Yeah, they stole a bunch of old equipment from the ARI before we could clean it up. Now they’re trying to sell legions to gangs and drug lords. Problem is, the tech they’re trying to use is old, so of course we have the potential for a bunch of legions to go wild in addition to a bunch of armed criminals,” Jin said, watching the streets as they talked. At this hour, the crowds were thick with people shopping and walking to dinner. It struck Aneko that, to an average passerby, she and Jin probably looked just like any other couple out for a night on the town. She wasn’t sure how that made her feel.

“Okay, and what’s the lead?” she asked, trying to push the thought of being on a date with Jin out of her mind.

“Well, our suspected boss man is meeting with a potential buyer tonight over dinner at Restaurant Le Meurice—you know, that super fancy place near the theater? So Olive did us the favor of making us a reservation conveniently close to our target’s table. We’re gonna listen in for now, but if we can follow them afterwards, all’s the better.”

Aneko’s stomach dropped at the thought. She had left Carlos alone at Songbird Café, and was now eating dinner for two at one of the most expensive restaurants on the Ark with none other than Jin Wong. She couldn’t help but feel that her chance at getting another date with Carlos was rather low at this point, if only for her massive guilt over how the night was beginning to turn out.

Jin stopped suddenly, and Aneko realized that they were outside of one of Harmony Square’s many clothing stores. This particular one showcased female mannequins in tight black cocktail dresses, and male mannequins in sharp black suits. She glanced down at her own jeans, and realized exactly why they were here.

“Oh, no,” she said out loud before she could stop herself.

“Uh, yeah, sorry, but we’re gonna have to look the part. A few people in jeans is gonna look real weird,” Jin said, looking truly apologetic. He knew as well as anyone else that Aneko wasn’t the type for buying fancy clothes. “If it helps, Olive is covering the cost for us, since it’s part of the investigation.”

“Well, then I guess we’d better make the most of it,” Aneko said, before entering the store. She left Jin to look at the suits, and made her way to rows upon rows of extravagant cocktail dresses. She didn’t even dare look at the price tags. After sorting through multiple sequined garments, and after multiple suspicious looks from the well-dressed staff watching her, she settled on a simple black dress and matching black heels. After paying for them (apparently to the surprise of the man at the checkout counter), she ducked into one of the changing rooms and shed her jeans and sweatshirt, stowing them beneath the changing bench with plans to retrieve them after this debacle was over. In contrast to the clothes she was wearing before, the dress felt silky and smooth on her skin. And, as revealed in the changing room mirror, it hugged her body in all the right places.

Aneko had always been one for practicality, and so expensive clothes were not normally on her list of things to buy. But she couldn’t help admiring herself in this particular dress. _Maybe I could go for owning a few more of these, _she thought to herself, before slipping on her heels and emerging from the changing room. Jin was waiting for her near the front of the store, dressed in a simple but fashionable black suit. She saw his eyes widen, and she was suddenly very conscious of how she looked and where she placed her feet while she was walking towards him.

“You look nice,” he said. His tone carried something else that she couldn’t quite place.

“Thanks,” she said, and then added, “so do you.” Was that a blush on his cheeks, or was she just imagining it?

When they stepped back out into the chilly night air, Jin offered her his arm. Despite herself, Aneko was grateful for the gesture. Her new heels were just a bit too tight, which did not bode well for a potential chase. She made a mental note to take them off if the night came to that.

* * *

“This is the fanciest place I have ever seen in my life,” Aneko murmured under her breath to Jin, who sat next to her in their small booth for two. He gave her a small nod in return, but she got the sense that he felt as out of place as she did. The lights in the restaurant were dimmed for the dinner hour, and each table had a small candle that offered an intimate island of light. A waiter came to take their orders, and Aneko hardly registered her own words as she rattled off her dinner choices. Jin ordered a single glass of wine, but she opted for water only. Best to remain sharp. When the waiter left, Jin retrieved a photo from his breast pocket and slid it over to her on the table.

“That’s who we’re watching for,” he said, indicating the stony-faced man in the picture. “They’ll be sitting down any moment at the table diagonal from us. We’ll have to keep an eye on them and listen when we can, but don’t look too conspicuous, okay?”

“I’m not that much of a rookie, Jin,” she said, sliding the picture back to him. Shortly after the waiter delivered their drinks, the men arrived and were seated, right where Jin had indicated. There was no mistaking the target, who perfectly fit Aneko’s mental image of a wealthy crime lord. The man’s companion, on the other hand, appeared unbelievably ordinary. He was middle-aged, and his face reminded Aneko of a chipmunk. She met Jin’s eyes and he gave her a small nod. With that, she released her Sword Legion and allowed it to stand near the table. The muffled voices of their target’s conversation suddenly became clear in her ears.

“I trust you have the payment ready?” said the stony-faced man.

“Of course,” Chipmunk answered. “But my superiors have instructed me to wait until you have provided the legions. Policy, I’m afraid.”

“I expected no less,” said the first man, and his voice carried a hint of…annoyance? “Following this meal, you’ll meet my man three blocks from here at the old warehouse.” Aneko made a note of this immediately.

“Excellent. The payment will be made then, if you provide what you have promised.”

“I am a man of my word. However, you must—“ the man’s voice trailed off, and too late, Aneko realized she had been staring with overt intensity at their table. Her eyes met those of the crime lord’s, and she was ready to panic when Jin leaned over and kissed her on the mouth, effectively cutting off her view. Aneko was so stunned that she did not push him away, but she did manage to dismiss her legion with fumbling hands. She heard an incredulous grunt from the man at the table, and laughter from the other. Clearly some lewd comment had been made, and she was suddenly glad that she could no longer hear them clearly. Jin brushed aside her hair and moved as if to kiss her neck. His lips grazed over her ear.

“Relax,” he whispered. “You’re like a statue. Try to at least look like you aren’t completely faking this.”

_Easy for you to say,_ she thought to herself, furious that she could not verbally retort. Before she made a show of fluttering her eyelids closed, she caught another glimpse of the men at the table. They had turned their attention away, and were now conversing with their heads lowered. Meanwhile, Jin continued his show of kissing her neck. Was he enjoying this? More importantly, was she?

Before Aneko could sort out her thoughts, their waiter arrived again with plates full of food that she definitely did not remember ordering. Jin pulled away, looking no less composed than he always did. He even politely thanked the waiter. Aneko still had not found her voice. When they were alone at their table again, she shot Jin a glare, as if to ask, _What the hell were you doing? _She knew that her cheeks were flaming red at this point.

“I’m not sure I’m convinced, _rookie,”_ he whispered, and then took a smug bite of his ravioli.

Aneko shook her head in reply, still too flustered to come up with a clever reply. And besides, it had been her fault. She had nearly compromised them, all because she forgot not to stare. She managed a fair portion of her meal (which was actually astoundingly delicious) before the men at the table got up to leave. She and Jin waited a little while longer, and then left to trail them.

Immediately upon leaving the restaurant, Aneko pulled off her heals and tossed them in a nearby garbage bin. Her feet had been killing her, and the shoes were not at all appropriate for a potential chase. Jin did not comment on this. In fact, he had been rather quiet since he had implemented his distraction. They both wordlessly continued, trailing behind their targets with practiced care.

At last, they reached the warehouse in question. Jin ducked behind a dumpster that stood in the narrow street in front of the warehouse entrance, and Aneko followed him silently. There was a third man waiting at the door, and he gave the two approaching men a nod of greeting. At this point, Aneko activated her IRIS.

_Three men outside, and four more waiting inside. _Not a large number, but still enough to take down two Neuron officers if they weren’t careful.

“I’m going in,” Aneko whispered to Jin as she saw the third man open the warehouse door. Before he could say anything in reply, she crept forward from their hiding place and deployed her legion, swiftly binding the men outside. All three fell with heavy _thuds _onto the pavement. Behind her, she heard Jin run forward.

“Taking the straightforward approach, I see,” he said, deploying his legion as well. They both entered the warehouse, pinpointing the other four men within.

“I’ll take two. You take the others?” she murmured to him. He nodded, and they split off at the entrance. The two men Aneko faced were engrossed in a card game on a flimsy table, beers in hand. Several empty beer cans scattered the floor as well. Easy enough. She moved her legion into position, and bound them without any trouble. Their beers and cards went flying in the commotion.

Aneko turned, ready to find Jin, and nearly ran straight into another man behind her. _Shit._ And then, to her horror, he raised a gun at her head. Time seemed to slow. The man squeezed the trigger, and a loud blast filled the air. But no hit came. When Aneko opened her eyes, she saw that Jin had the man in a tight hold. The shot had fired into the concrete wall behind her, scattering a fine dust on her hair and shoulders. Jin raised his own X-baton and delivered a sharp blow to the man’s temple with its hilt. He crumpled to the ground, leaving both Neuron officers standing breathless in the aftermath.

A loud ringing broke the silence, and Aneko realized Olive was calling them. She answered, still feeling more than a little numb.

“All right, that’s all of them! I’ve deployed more officers to secure the area. Excellent work, you two. That’s all for now. Hopefully we’ve cut this thing off before too many illegal legions end up in the wrong hands.” The call ended, and Aneko was left staring at Jin. Finally, he spoke.

“That was my fault, I’m sorry. He was one of mine, and he got out of my sight,” he said.

Aneko shook her head. “No, it was my fault. I wasn’t aware of my surroundings. I haven’t exactly been the most effective partner tonight.” She noticed that his gaze had softened into an expression of concern.

“Well, shit, no wonder. HQ’s been running you ragged.”

“Yeah, they have,” she said, and to her own frustration, she felt tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. “I just wanted a normal night, you know?”

Jin reached out and clasped her shoulder. “I know. C’mon, let’s get you out of here for now. The rest of Neuron can handle it.” She nodded her assent, and let him lead her out of the warehouse. A short police vehicle ride later, they were parked outside of her apartment. It was her own place now—she had moved out of Max’s house after finishing at the Academy. Jin had been here once before, she remembered with a small smile, when Max had thrown her a house-warming party.

Aneko hesitated before undoing her seatbelt. Suddenly, the thought of returning to her apartment alone seemed unbearable. She turned her head to look at Jin, and was surprised to see him staring straight ahead. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was feeling as awkward as she was.

“You could come in for a little while, if you wanted,” she said. He started, as if drawn from deep thought.

“I, uh… I dunno about that,” he said.

“_Please,” _she said in reply, her voice sounding more desperate than she intended. She watched as he let out a breath and released his grip on the steering wheel of the car.

“Okay, for a little while.”

* * *

They made their way up the steps to Aneko’s apartment, and she unlocked the door, feeling a wave of relief at the sight of her couch. Without another word, she collapsed on the cushions, exhaling. Jin was still standing near the door, appearing out of place. He finally was drawn to some of the pictures she had up on her wall, and he made his way over to them.

“Man, I miss him,” Jin said, referring to the picture of Max and his adopted twins.

“Me, too,” Aneko said from the couch, raising herself up on her elbows to look at the pictures as well. “Every day. It really hasn’t gone away.”

“Yeah, grief is funny like that,” he said in reply. “It changes, but it never seems to go away completely.”

“Jin,” Aneko said after a pause, so softly that she was surprised he turned around at all. “Would you kiss me again?” This time, she was certain he blushed. “I mean, you don’t have to. I’m sorry—“

“Don’t apologize. Hah, I was just thinking,” he shook his head, smiling slightly. “About how your old man would kill me, that is, for being alone with you in your apartment.”

Aneko found herself smiling in return. “Well, he has to let me grow up at some point, right?” She moved over on the couch, and Jin sat beside her. Gently, he rested his hand on the nape of her neck and pulled her in to him, kissing her on the lips. This time, unlike at the restaurant, Aneko allowed herself to relax into his touch. He was so warm, and he smelled very faintly of cologne. She felt the stubble on his chin against her own skin—a contrast to the softness of his lips. He really was a good kisser, better than anyone she had kissed before.

Slowly, she lowered her back to the cushions of the couch, pulling him down over her. At this point, the kisses had begun to feel more urgent. One of Jin’s hands was in her hair, fingers running through soft brown locks, and the other had strayed to her thigh where the fabric of her dress ended and skin began. She ran her hands over his back, and attempted to remove his suit jacket with fumbling hands. He moved to aid her, lips never leaving hers.

Free of one layer of clothing, he returned to caressing her thigh, this time sliding his fingers beneath the silky black fabric. She must have tensed, because she felt him withdraw slightly.

“Sorry,” he murmured, his lips hovering above hers. “I can stop.” But she shook her head.

“No, please don’t.”

“Okay,” he said, still holding himself several inches above her. “But I want you to stop me if you aren’t comfortable with something I do, all right?”

“I will, I promise,” she said, and then she closed the distance between their lips again. Jin returned with fervor, once more slipping his hands beneath her dress and pulling it up over her hips, and then over her shoulders. She had to rearrange herself to help him, and then the dress was little more than a puddle on the floor of her apartment. Jin moved from kissing her lips to kissing her neck, and then he moved down further still, capturing one of her nipples in his mouth and caressing the other with his callused hand. A whine escaped Aneko’s mouth, and she raised her own hand to stifle the sound. But Jin reached up to pull her arm away.

“No, I want to hear it,” he said. She nodded wordlessly, aware that he couldn’t see the gesture. He finally released her nipple with a wet _pop _and kissed further down, pausing just below her navel to readjust himself between her legs. And then, Aneko felt him place his lips over her swiftly dampening panties.

“Oh, god, Jin,” Aneko whimpered, suddenly unsure of where to put her hands.

“Yes?” He murmured, his stubble brushing the sensitive interior of her thigh as he kissed her there.

“Nothing, just…don’t stop,” she managed, shimmying to help him remove her undergarments. Aneko first felt cool air against her most sensitive of places, and then the contrasting wet heat of Jin’s mouth. She finally settled for threading her hands through his hair as he stroked her clit languidly with his tongue. She may have been pulling, but he didn’t seem to object.

“_Oh,_” was all she managed, as he sucked and licked at the sensitive nub. Then, she felt him slide two fingers into her wet entrance, adding yet another sensation that threatened to send her over the edge. By this point, with his tongue and fingers, he had reduced her to sounds rather than words. She briefly wondered if she was being too loud for the neighbors, but a more primal part of her didn’t care, and even reveled in the thought of people hearing.

She felt a heat building in her belly, and now it was threatening to overflow. It was not long before the feeling overwhelmed her, and she arched her back, toes curling as she cried out his name. He coaxed her through the throbbing waves of her orgasm and then withdrew, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. She noticed with satisfaction that he appeared disheveled now, his hair a mess from her hands and glasses askew on his face. Suddenly, she was filled with the overwhelming need to pay him back for what he had given her, and she pushed him back into the couch. He didn’t protest, and watched with darkened eyes as she unbuttoned his shirt, running her fingers over the skin of his chest.

Her eyes were drawn further down, where she noticed a sizeable bulge waiting. She felt her own lips part as she freed his cock from his pants, and she lowered her mouth to the heat of his length, drawing her tongue over the tip. He shuddered, fingers dragging through her hair. Aneko took this as a reassuring sign, and took his length in her mouth.

She feared that she would be woefully out of practice—she had done this only once before back in the Academy with her boyfriend at the time, and that was several years ago now. But then he let out a low moan, and she had a new rush of confidence. He moaned again as she dug her nails into the sensitive skin of his inner thighs. The muscles there were taught, as if he was using all of his strength not to simply fuck her mouth. She used his restraint to her advantage, and gave his length several long, slow strokes with her tongue before taking him deeper into her throat.

Jin was saying her name now, over and over again like a prayer. She felt a swelling of pride at the fact that she could make him as undone as he had made her.

“Aneko, ah, I’m going to—“ he barely managed a warning before her mouth was filled with hot fluid, which she swallowed before finally releasing his cock from her mouth. He shuddered again as her lips passed over the now overly sensitive tip. She fell back on the other side of the couch and they each took a short time to catch their breath.

“Damn,” Jin said finally, breaking the silence with admiration in his voice. Aneko laughed softly at this, still too shaky to move from her spot on the couch.

“You could say that again." 

The room was completely dark now, save for the light of neon street signs as it streamed though her window. She felt a sense of peace, especially at the thought of having another person so close. And _Jin, _of all people. He had always seemed unattainable, mostly due to their respective responsibilities to Neuron. There was no time for relationships in the force, and if there was, they were short-lived and served a very specific purpose. She didn’t normally have the energy for that type of thing, and neither, she imagined, did Jin.

But now, here they were, naked in her apartment, and she felt safer than she had in a long time. At that realization, she sat up so that she could meet his eyes in the dim neon light.

“Stay the night, Jin,” she said, half-pleading. It was late anyways, and she knew he lived a sizable distance away. He didn’t even pretend to object.

“All right, but I’m not sleeping on the couch,” he said, easing himself up into a sitting position as well.

“Fair, as long as you don’t mind sharing the bed,” she replied.

His expression broke into a grin. “That’s reasonable.”

With that, they retired to her bedroom, and Aneko was asleep moments after her head touched her pillow.

* * *

It was still dark when Aneko opened her eyes, and she realized Jin had been gently shaking her awake. In the dim neon light streaming in from outside, she saw the concern in his eyes.

“Hey. I think you were having a nightmare,” he said. It was then that she realized her jaw ached from clenching it tightly shut, and she had broken a sweat as well. 

“Ugh, yeah, I forgot to warn you about that,” she said, apologetic. “Sorry for waking you.”

“Don’t worry about it. Let me get you a glass of water or something.” With that, he pulled back the bed covers and stood to leave the room. When he returned with her water, Aneko couldn’t help but admire his shirtless figure as he moved through the darkness and to his spot beside her again. The dusty blond highlights in his tousled hair were somehow more evident, and she took note of just how handsome he really was.

“Thank you,” she murmured as she took a grateful sip of the water. At this moment, her fears seemed so very far away, held back by the warmth of another person beside her. She set the half-finished glass on the nightstand beside her, and turned toward Jin. “This wasn’t how I expected the night to go, but I really appreciate you being here,” she said.

He reached up to cup her cheek gently. “Glad I could help,” he said. She met his eyes again—they appeared dark, unfathomable, and yet somehow so very warm. At this moment, something snapped in both of them, and they were kissing again. Aneko wasn’t sure who initiated it, but it didn’t matter. Her heart was pounding, and suddenly she wanted every bit of him. He seemed to feel the same, and she felt him pressing against her upper thigh, already hard.

“Jin,” she gasped in between fervent kisses.

“Yeah?” His hand was gripping her ass, pulling her pelvis flush against his.

“Please, I want you. Please fuck me,” she begged as he began to kiss the sensitive crook of her neck. She felt him nod, and heard a muffled _I want you, too. _

In a few more moments, she was freed of her pajama bottoms—an old pair of sweat pants—and he had stripped out of his boxers as well. He lowered his land to the sensitive nub between her legs, and groaned when he felt the wetness already there. She felt him buck his hips, grinding his length on her thigh.

“You’re sure you want to do this?” he asked her again, his lips brushing the sensitive skin of her earlobe.

“More than anything,” she said in reply.

He rearranged himself so that he was spooning her, their bodies pressed tightly together, and then he placed himself at her entrance. He pushed in slowly, _agonizingly_ so. She hadn’t done this in years, and Jin was quite sizable as it was, and so she felt a sharp sting as he pushed his way in. But any discomfort quickly melted away to pleasure. He began to thrust, cautiously at first, and then more quickly as he elicited moans from her lips.

“Fuck, Jin,” she gasped as he sank his length fully into her. Her hand fumbled in the darkness and found his, entwining their fingers together. With his free hand, he reached down and began to rub circles on her clit in time with his thrusts. Her moans and the raw sound of their lovemaking filled the silence of the early morning, and Aneko lost herself in it as heat began to blossom in her core. Her orgasm hit her almost without warning—different from the one before, and somehow more intoxicating. She felt her insides contract rhythmically, and Jin felt it too, by the sound of his gasp. His hands grasped her thighs tightly enough to bruise.

“Aneko, ah, I’m going to come too,” he said, and then moaned deeply as he spilled himself into her. He did not stop holding her as they both rode the waves of pleasure until it faded at last. He pressed gentle kisses on her shoulders and neck, and they lay like that for a while longer, simply enjoying the feeling of being entwined with one another.

Finally, reluctantly, Jin said, “We should probably go clean ourselves up and get you back to sleep.” Aneko didn’t protest, because a new wave of exhaustion had washed over her now that the rest of the sensations had faded. He started a warm shower for them both, but Aneko barely remembered standing under the water with him before she was back in bed, enveloped in the warmth of his arms. She didn’t wake up for the rest of the night.

* * *

Aneko was awake before Jin, and so she left the bed as quietly as possible and set about making them both breakfast. Normally she didn’t take the time for much else besides a bowl of cereal and a cup of black coffee, but today felt like a good day to make scrambled eggs and bacon. When she returned to the bedroom to inform Jin that the food was ready, he had just finished talking on his phone. He grinned when he saw her.

“We’re taking the day off. Already called us in,” he said, standing from the bed. For a split second, Aneko thought about the reports she still needed to file, but she pushed that concern aside rather easily. This was her first day off in, well, _ever. _“I figured we could head downtown first and get your clothes back from the changing room,” he continued as they made their way to her small breakfast table. “And then I’ll take you to meet the therapist I go to. He’s cool. And then I’m gonna treat you to a dinner that doesn’t involve trailing some crime lords.”

Aneko was smiling widely at this point. Leave it to Jin to already have the day perfectly planned out. “Who are you, my dad?” she teased.

Jin made a face. “God, don't say that.” They both laughed, and then dug into the breakfast she had prepared for them.

“You know, I bet people are going to talk about the fact that we both called the day off together. And for all we know, they probably still have trackers on us both,” she said.

He shrugged. “Who cares? Let them talk.”

She took that as the reassurance she needed, but continued with her question anyways. “Jin,” she said, meeting his eyes. “Can this be, like, a regular thing?”

“Yeah, I’d really like that,” he said in reply.

And it was.

_Fin_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! I just finished the game and I have so many feelings. I want my children to be happy. I also want to insert a call to action--we need more fics for this fandom! I believe in you all! <3


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